Clothing Allowances

Special clothing needs for children and youths in Foster Care and Kin-GAP include:

An Initial Clothing Allowance (ICA ) for a child being placed
An Annual Clothing Allowance (ACA for “Back-to-School.”

Initial Clothing Allowance (ICA) for a Child in Santa Clara County

An initial supply of clothing may be allowed, if necessary, with each new (initial) placement; however, SSPM approval is required if a subsequent initial clothing allowance is made within six months.

A child who has been receiving CalWORKs and has been approved for county-only funded payments may receive an initial clothing allowance, if otherwise eligible. The clothing allowance must be approved by the DFCS’s SFU and a SCZ 414Z form must be provided with all the appropriate signatures.

ICA Eligible Placements

The following types of foster care placements may receive an initial clothing allowance:

Foster Family Home (FFH) (with Resource Family Approval). This includes ARC cases.
A Foster Family Agency (FFA. This does not include Intensive Services Foster Care (ISFC) placements.
A Community Treatment Facility (CTF that is approved by the state and is not an adult or for-profit facility.
Related or Unrelated Legal Guardian.
SARC joint client placed in FFA or FFH (non-profit) contracted rate.
DAR placements.
In rare circumstances, Kin-GAP youths receiving extended benefits at 18 years older.
SILP.

Note: Non-dependent children living with their parents in a SILP placement are not eligible for ACA or ICA. The Infant Supplement is used to cover expenses of the non-dependent child.

Six Month Limit

When an ICA is issued it cannot be reissued if paid within six (6) months without DE approval. Additionally, ICAs issued between April and September of each year are not eligible for the ACA.

CalSAWS

Workers will issue the ICA via the Needs List page in CalSAWS.

Short-Term Placements

An initial clothing allowance should NOT be issued if the child is in a short-term placement. This includes Voluntary Placements that are 30 days or less. Generally, short-term placements are defined as 30 days or less. If the FC EW has questions as to whether the child’s placement is expected to be short or long-term, contact the SW/PO.

Effective Date

The effective month of the ICA is the month that the SW/PO completes and signs the SCZ 414Z, or the first month that the child is eligible for Foster Care.

Rates and Procedures

The rates for ICA are effective 9/1/2007 and are not eligible for the annual CNI rate increases.

Age	Rate
Under 1	$176
Ages 1 to 11	$245
Boys (12+ Boy’s Size)	$293
Boys (12+ Men’s Size)	$387
Girls (12+)	$413

SW/PO
1. Completes the Initial Clothing Allowance SCZ 414Z and forwards it to the FC EW within 60 days of placement.
  1. Note: County-Only Funded ICAs must be approved by the SFU.
FC EW
1. Reviews the request for ICA.
2. When necessary, prints the placement history from CWS/CMS.
3. Authorizes the payment via the Needs List page in CalSAWS.
4. Verifies a Notice of Action (NOA) is generated to the provider or guardian advising them of the clothing allowance payment.
5. Confirms the NOA was sent.
6. Forwards a copy of the SCZ 414Z and, when applicable, the placement history to imaging.